| pokoko said: I'm going to disagree with you pretty much every way possible. Like, on a fundamental level. Not that you're wrong about what you like but rather that your ideas about RPGs are not absolutes. Basically, it sounds like what you're saying is that for you to enjoy an RPG, the developers have to tightly define your playstyle and tell you what choices you can make. That's fine. Those can be good games. However, it's every bit as valid and, for me, enjoyable, when the developer allows you to use your imagination. Personally, I'm not using metal armor because my character wouldn't. I'm not using mini-guns or rocket launchers unless I'm in power armor. I'm using non-automatic rifles. I'm using my charisma. I'm focusing on picking locks and hacking. This is the character that I'm creating on my own and I'm doing it because that's what I want, not because I'm following a path laid down by the developers. The SPECIAL chart is a guide that gives you focus but it never feels frustrating because you can't get to something that changes everything. I think that's perfectly fine as an RPG and, honestly, pretty awesome. |
This is my whole point though; I want gameplay, interaction and most possibilities (or lack thereof) to be influenced by the choices you made when you create your character from the beginning. If the only limitation lies within self-imposed choice like choosing not to wield a specific weapon at a given time and the choices you make in dialogue, that's close to meaningless for me.
I grew up with pen & paper RPG's, this is probably why this part if so important to me, if every character has the exact same potential in everything from the start, the role you play is largely non-existant.
This is what killed Diablo 3's longevity for me; with the super simple respec options, there was never any need for rolling more than one character of every class and thus, the replay value sunk drastically, to the point where it became meaningless.
Characters classes and skills influence game mechanics in certain ways, the openness in itself is not always a redeeming factor, if I make the chess board twice as big, will I have improved the game of chess?
Likely not, what it I make all the pieces able to move in every way? That would render the game of chess useless at its core.
For me, the "R" part of RPG has been shoved more and more under the rug in favor of generic facial morphing and jack-of all trades gameplay, it makes no sense for any character in an RPG to be an expert at several different things, specialization is part of what breeds challenge in RPG's.
Like the beginning of Baldur's Gate as a mage, really difficult, then later on it becomes difficult as a fighter with low resistances (against petrification, among other things) and who deals the most damage up close.
The entire flow of battles are changed drastically based on your character's role and skills, whereas in games like Skyrim and Fallout 4, challenges become very few and far inbetween since the famed openness also removes difficulty and variation.
Ironically; the very tool/feature that sets out to create freedom is the very same that causes stagnant gameplay when your character can master mostly everything.
I'm not talking about games that force me follow paths; I'm talking about games that make all the paths too easily accessible. What you're mentioning is self-imposed restriction, you as the player are forced to add the challenge that the game should provide by default and you can change your mind, and subsequently your playstyle, at a whim.
I understand that people enjoy freedom, but freedom in and on itself isn't a complete positive, I'm finding it hard to find new or fun things to do in Fallout 4 now, the same thing happened in Skyrim after about 50 hours of gameplay (I have around 40 hours in Fallout 4 now), whereas some others have played hundreds of hours.
I simply don't understand how one could entertain oneself for several hundred hours in Skyrim or Fallout 4, after 20 hours or so, you've sampled most there is to do and the vast majority of characters and quests are pretty poor fare.
The immersion just isn't there for that long, and this lack of challenge and direction is a part of the equation for me.
Having a tool that allows the creation of a character from the beginning who could be anything is fine; having a tool that allows for the character to be everything is not. You may disagree, and that's fine, I'm somewhat elitist in these matters due to my old, fairly hardcore view on RPG's from my youth and childhood. Character classes, skills and mechanics that respond to these in various ways are essential in RPG's, in my honest opinion. Otherwise, it becomes an action game with RPG elements and customization where your character is unlimited.
Bethesda also need to learn how to make games where you don't get overpowered so easily, and like I mentioned; their sneaking mechanics are broken, Skyrim and Fallout 4 have the most overpowered sneaking mechanics I've ever experienced in a video game.
"Don't play sneaky style" was one's suggestion; well, I kinda want to, but I don't want it to be so easy.
